Methods and apparatus for producing fibrous structures



July 20, 1965 F. KALWAITES 3,195,187

METHODS AND APPARATUS FOR PRODUCING FIBROUS STRUCTURES Filed June 1, 1961 4 Sheets-Sheet 1 INVENTO 164.40! Afar/#755 ATTO R N EY July 20, 1965 F. KALWAITES METHODS AND APPARATUS FOR PRODUCING FIBROUS STRUCTURES Filed June 1. 1961 4 Sheets-Sheet 2 7/9/M4 ATTORNEY July 20, 1965 F. KALWAITES 3,195,187

METHODS AND APPARATUS FOR PRODUCING FIBROUS STRUCTURES 7 Filed June 1. 1961 4 Sheets-Sheet 3 T13. 4. c V D INVENTOR Fewva 4640444025 ATTO R N EY July 20, 1965 F. KALWAITES METHODS AND APPARATUS FOR PRODUCING FIBROUS STRUCTURES Filed June 1. 1961 4 Sheets-Sheet 4 INVENTOR Flam r Kan A2755 BY A m 7 M4 ATTORNEY United States Patent $35,187 l'i ETHGDS AND APPARATUS F02 3. PRQBUQENG FiBRQUS STRUCTURE Frank Kalwaites, Semen-ville, N1, assignor, by uresne assignments, to Johnson 8; Johnson, New Brunswick, N.J., a corporation oi New .iersey Filed June 1, 1961, er. No. 114,156 14 Qlaims. (ill. 19-45(3) The present invention relates to improved methods and apparatus for producing drafed fibrous structures, and more particularly is concerned with producing drafted slivers and sliver ribbons having a high degree of weight regularity and fiber orientation and alignment along the main axes thereof and well suited for further processing into yarns.

in the processing of textile fi ers whereby they are converted from randomly-interm-atted fibrous messes into relatively uniform, fibrous textile materials having a predominant fiber orientation in the long direction thereof, the intermatted fibers are initially separated individually and formed into a fibrous web in a textile card. This web, in which the individual fibers are relatively aligned generally in the long direction thereof, is removed from the dofiing cylinder of the card, usually by a rapidly reciprocating dofier comb, and then further processed, as desired or required.

During the removal of the fibers from the doiiing cylinder by means of the reciprocating comb, the general degree of fiber orientation or alignment thereof is usually increased to a limited extent, say, up to about 69% in the case of cotton fibers, or up to 75% in the case of rayon or other synthetic fibers, dependin upon the staple length. If a higher percentage is required or desired, as it usually is, subsequent drafting or drawing operations are then required to increase the orientation or alignment of the individual fibers to such higher percentages. These subsequent drafting or drawing operations, however, have had so much additional orienting or aligning of the fibres to do to produce the desired higher orientation and alignment that difficulties in these operations have ensued.

Additionally, immediately after the fibrous Web has been removed item the doffin-g cylinder by the reciprocating doiier comb, it is pulled and drawn together in a triangularly converging form from the full width which it possessed on the dofiing cylinder to the narrow form in which it passes through the condensing trumpet as it is being formed into a sliver.

During this conversion from a full width web usually about forty inches wide to a sliver only about one inch in diameter, the outer edges of the triangularly converging transition portion necessarily have to travel a longer distance than the central part thereof which travels in a shorter, more direct line to the condensing trumpet. As a result, there is an undesirable haphazard folding or bunchiug of the fibrous web just prior to entering the mouth of the condensing trumpet whereby a loss of fiber orientation in the long direction occurs.

Also, with regard to the weight regularity of the fibrous web, it has been established that there never is complete weight regularity of a fibrous web removed from the doffing cylinder of a card, as regards lengthwise and crosswise directions. This is necessarily so inasmuch as a textile card is not a perfect machine and there are bound to be heavy fibrous portions and light fibrous portious in various places along and across the web.

As a consequence of the above factors, card webs and fibrous materials prepared therefrom, such as slivers, sliver ribbons, and the like, have not possessed desired Weight regularity and fiber orientation and alignment along the main axes thereof.

ddhilb? Patented. .luly 2b, 1%65 One of the principal objects of the present invention is therefore to provide improved methods and apparatus for producing drafted slivers and sliver ribbons having a high degree of weight regularity and fiber orientation and alignment along the main axes thereof.

It has been discovered that the Weight irregularities of prior art products may be avoided by first taking the card web, as it is delivered from the card, and wrapping it in a plurality of convolutions or laps around a continuously advancing, endless belt conveyor. Now, if this continuously advancing, endless belt conveyor merely advanced as a normal belt conveyor does when it is mounted on a pair of rotatable pulleys, the card web would merely continue to be Wrapped around the belt conveyor in ever increasing number of convolutions and no product could be continuously advanced therefrom. liowever, it the belt conveyor were to so operate that each convolution were to be shifted laterally a predetermined increment each time it Went around the rotatable pulleys, then each convolution would remain on the endless belt conveyor only until it had been shifted laterally a suihcient number of increments as to shift oil' the surface of the conveyor and be forwarded therefrom.

Also, as a consequence of such lateral shifting, each convolution would not fall squarely upon a preceding convolution but would be oil-set therefrom by a distance equal to the lateral shift. And, in the same way, fibers removed from a particular crosswise section of the dofiiug cylinder would not fall upon fibers previously removed from the same crosswise section of the dofiing cylinder but would fall upon and be close.y adjacent to fibers removed from sections spaced therefrom by the width of one increment or a multiple thereof. In this Way, excellent crosswise doubling or blending of fibers is accomplished and crosswi e weight irregularities are minimized.

it is also to be realized that the fibers of a particular section removed from the dotting cylinder fall upon and are closely adjacent to fibers of a preceding section re moved from the dofiing cylinder originally spaced length wise therefrom by a distance equal to the circumference of the endless belt conveyor. Thus, the fibers of a particular section of the finished sliver or sliver ribbon are derived from a plurality of preceding sections, all spaced apart by a length equal to the circumference of the belt conveyor or a multiple thereof. In this way, excellent lengthwise doubling or blending of fibers is accomplished and lengthwise weight irregularities are minimized.

Having doubled or blended the fibers together in such a Way as to minimize weight irregularities, the laminate of webs could then be cut to a particular Width to avoid the harmful eiiects of bringing the web together triangularly into the shape of a silver. And then, it increased fiber orientation and aligrunent are desired, drafting operations could be employed. However, such a cutting operation cuts many fibers in the web and undesirably reduces the average fiber length and the drafting operation is found to be difiicult and not as successful as desired.

it has now also been discovered that such ditficulties may be avoided by starting with a conventional card web, as before, but by first drafting the same While still in a single thickness to form a drafted card web and then wrapping the drafted card Web on a continuously advancing, laterally shifting endless belt conveyor to improve the weight regularity, as previously described. Then, the cutting of the draft-ed, blended convolutions of thc web into silver ribbons is greatly facilitated due to the increased orientation and alignment and becomes actually a mere separation rather than a cut-ting and the necessity of drafting a plurality of webs is obviate-d.

The fibrous web or layer which is processed to form the products of this invention may contain natural or a synthetic, vegetable, animal or mineral cardable fibers such as cotton, silk, wool, etc.; synthetic or mammade fibers such as the cellu losic fibers, notably cuprammonium, viscose or regenerated cellulose fibers; cellulose ester fibers such as cellulose acetate (Celanese) and cellulose tri-acetate (Arnel); the polyamide fibers such as nylon 6 (polycaprolactam), nylon 66 (hexamethylene-diamineadipic acid), nylon 610 (hexamethylene diamine-sebacic acid); protein fibers such as Vicara; halogenated hydrocarbon fibers such as Teflon (polytetrafiuoroethylene); hydrocarbon fiber-s such as polyethylene, polypropylene, and polyisobutylene; polyester fibers such as Kodel and Dacron; vinyl fibers such as Vinyon and Saran; acrylic fibers such as Dynel, Verel, Orlon, Acrilan, Creslan, etc.

The lengths of the fibers in the starting fibrous web may vary from about /2 inch up to about 2 /2 inches or more in length, depending upon the particular properties and characteristics required or desired in the resulting fibrous web.

The denier of the individual synthetic fibers referred to above is preferably in the range of the approximate thickness of the natural fibers mentioned and consequent-- ly deniers in the range of from about 1 to about 5 are preferred. power is desired, special fiber deniers of down to about A or even about /2 may be employed. Where desired, deniers of up to about 5.5, 6, 8, 10, 15, or higher, may be used. The minimum and maximum deniers are naturally dictated by the desires or requirements for producing a particular fibrous web, by the machines and methods for producing the same, and so forth.

The weight of the fibrous web or layer of starting material as measured on the doifing cylinder may be varied within relatively wide limits above a predetermined minimum value, epending upon the requirements of the in termedi-ate or the final products. A single, thin web of fibers, such as produced by a card and as presented by the clotting cylinder, may have a weight of from about 30 to about 250 or more grains per square yard and may be used in the application of the principles of the present invention. Within the more commercial aspects of the present invention, however, web weights on the dofiing cylinder of from about 60 grains per square yard to about 200 grains per square yard are contemplated.

Such a fibrous Web as described above may be drafted by any desired drafting or drawingmeans capable of increasing the fiber orientation to any desired value such as above 70% in the case of cotton or above 75 or 80%, or even up to 90 or 95% in the case of rayon or other synthetic fibers, depending upon the staple length. One particular drafting procedure, such as described in my copending patent application, Serial No. 9,969, filed February 19, 1960, now US. Patent 3,119,152 issued June 28, 1964, is of special application. Such a drafting procedure substantially simultaneously doffs and drafts the fibrous web as it is being removed from the dofing cylinder. Such a procedure involves initially providing a carded fibrous web on the doffing cylinder of a card, and then positioning a relatively smooth-surfaced endless flexible belt adjacent to but spaced from the dofling cylinder by a predetermined distance, whereby the carded fibrous web is transferred from the doffing cylinder to the movable belt. This movable belt, being fiexible, may be trained over relatively small diameter rods or bars or equivalent elements positioned in close proximity to the movable fiber-carrying surface so that the moving belt approaches that surface at any desired angle, and rapidly departs therefrom at any other angle as desired. This is to be contrasted to the gradual departure of the surface of a cylinder, for example, the radius of which cannot be made too small for physical strength reasons. The flexible belt, by then cooperating with a second rotatable or movable surface which presses against the belt and forms a nip therewith, is able to seize the leading ends of the Where greater opacity or greater covering fibers at a point relatively close to the periphery of the first movable or fiber-carrying surface and to draw the fibers in positive fashion therefrom.

By suitably adjusting the surface linear velocity of the movable flexible belt with reference to the surface peripheral linear velocity of the movable fiber-carrying surface, the movable belt may be made to draw the fibers away from the fiber-carrying surface at any desired greater velocity whereby they are drafted or drawn and assume a more highly oriented or aligned configuration with respect to the long axis of the drafted fibrous web. Such a more highly oriented web is more suitable for further processing, as desired or required.

The degree of drafting employed will depend primarily upon the degree of orientation desired in the drafted fibrous web and is, of course, determined by the ratio of the surface linear velocity of the doffing and drafting belt to the surface linear velocity of the doifing cylinder.

The ratio of the surface linear velocity of the dofiing and drafting belt to the surface linear velocity of the dofilngcylinder must be greater than 1 to 1 in order that drafting and increased alignment of the fibers is accom plished; In some instances, ratios as low as about 1.2 to 1 have been used successfully depending primarily upon the nature and characteristics of the'fibers involved. In most instances, ratios of from about 1.5 to 1 to about 4 to 1 have been found preferable, with optimum results eing noted at about 3 to 1. Ratios higher than 4 to 1 are utflizable within the principles of the present invention, with values of up to 1G to 1 or higher being of use in special cases. p

The invention will be more fully understood from the description which follows, taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings in which there are illustrated preferred designs of machines and modes of operation embodying the invention. It is to be understood, however, that the invention is not to be considered limited to the constructions disclosed except as deter-mined by the scope of the appended claims.

In the drawings:

FIGURE 1 is a fragmentary, diagrammatic side elevation of apparatus suitable for carrying out the improved methods of the present invention, with some parts being cut away or omitted for purposes of clarity;

IGURE 2 is a fragmentary, diagrammatic, cutaway front elevation of the apparatus of FIGURE 1, taken in the direction of the arrows 22 thereof, with the two planes of the front elevation brought into the plane of the drawing, as indicated.

FIGURE 3 is a cross section of the fibrous Web of FIG- URE 2, taken on the line 3--3 thereof, with the individual fibrous webs being spread out and separated to show their lengths and crosswise relationship;

FIGURE 4 is a fragmentary, diagrammatic drawing to an enlarged scale showing the dofiing and drafting attachment on the dofling cylinder of FIGURE 1;

FIGURE 5 is a fragmentary, diagrammatic, cutaway front elevation of the apparatus of FIGURE 1, with the fibrous web and other parts omitted for purposes of clarity; FIGURE 6 is' a schematic showing, not to scale, demonstrating the ideal crosswise and lengthwise blending or doubling of the fibers of the fibrous Web removed from the 'dofiin g cylinder;

FIGURE 7 is a schematic side elevation of a modification of the apparatus shown in FIGURE 1, which is also suitable for carrying out the improved methods of the present invention; and

FIGURE 8 is a fragmentary, diagrammatic, side elevation of the apparatus of FIGURE 1, with some partsbeing omitted for purposes of clarity and with some of the driving mechanisms included to show one method of operating the mechanism.

In the embodiment of the invention illustrated in the drawings, a conventional textile card is used and comprises a conventional rotatable main card cylinder (not shown) which is used to provide for the normal carding of the fibers fed to the card whereby the fibers are disentangled and the bunches or tufts of fibers are separated more or less into individual fibers. The initial attenuating of the fibers into a generally aligned condition takes place on a rotatable surface of the main cylinder and the individualized fibers are sparsely spread thereover in an amount weighing but a few grains per square yard.

These substantially individualized fibers which do not normally constitute a self-sustaining fibrous web are presented to and deposited on the surface of a dofiing cylinder 13 which rotates on a shaft 14 mounted in bearings 16 secured to the card frame 18. The dofling cylinder 22 rotates at a much lower peripheral surface linear velocity than the main cylinder, in accordance with standard prac tice. This velocity differential, which may be varied as desired, creates a condensing of the individual fibers into a thin, fibrous carded web normally weighing from about 30 grains to about 250, and preferably from about 60 to about 200 grains per square yard, on the peripheral surface of the rotatable dofiing cylinder 12.

The main cylinder and the doffing cylinder 12 are conventional; the main cylinder being about 50 inches in outside diameter and about 40 inches wide; and the dofling cylinder bein about 26 or 27 inches in outside diameter and also about 40 inches wide. The main cylinder and the cloning cylinder are both covered with conventional card clothing, comprising a large number of pins which constitute protuberances acting together as a carrier surface, adapted to have fibers entwined with the protuberances in slidable engagement therewith.

Immediately adjacent the dofiing cylinder 12, and approximately at the position where the fibrous web formed thereon is conventionally removed by the usual textile dofiing comb, there is located a dotling and drafting mech anism it) which not only removes the fibrous web from the dotting cylinder but also substantially simultaneously drafts the same whereby its degree of fiber rientation and alignment is improved. As shown more particularly in FIGURE 4, the dofhng and drafting mechanism comprises a stationary, angular nose bar 22 having an elongated nose portion 24 and a reinforcing base portion 26. The reinforcing base portion 26 strengthens and steadies the nose portion 24 but may be omitted when the nose portion 24 is sufficiently strong and steady by itself. The nose bar 22 is adjustable so that the nose portion 24 thereof can be controllably and accurately positioned at any desired angular relationship, or with any desired clearance, with respect to the peripheral surface of the clotting cylinder 12.

An endless, flexible dotting and drafting belt 3i? is passed around the nose portion 24 and is brought into close roximity with the surface of the doffing cylinder 12 so that the fibers thereon are transferred from the dofling cylinder 12 to the dofling and drafting belt 3%. A pressure-applying, rotatable nip-roll 32 presses against the drafted card web on the dofing and drafting belt 36 at a point closely adjacent to the fiber-transfer point and presses the fibers removed from the dofiing cylinder 12 against the belt 3%.

The doifing and drafting belt 36, after passing under the rotatable nip roll 32, passes upwardly over a driving rotatable guide roll 46. The driving rotatable guide roll 46 may be driven by any suitable driving means such as an electric motor 39.

The dofhng and drafting belt Ed is then-directed downwardly and passes over an adjustable, rotatable, guiding and tensioning roll 42. The mounting of the rotatable, guiding and tensioning roll 42 is so arranged that it be adjusted, as desired, in order to supply the desired tension to the belt.

The cloning and drafting belt 30 passes around a rotatable guide roll 44 and is then directed upwardly over the nose portion 24 of the nose bar 22. As can be seen, the

6 belt is endless and moves in a continuous cycle, as described.

By having the clotting and drafting belt 30 move with a linear velocity which is greater than the peripheral surface linear velocity of the dofiing cylinder, the individual fibers are drawn or drafted forwardly and slid oil the teeth or needles of the doffing cylinder 32 whereby they are straightened and aligned with a considerably higher degree of orientation on the dofiing and drafting belt 39. All this is described in greater detail in the patent application referred to herein.

The drafted card web with its increased degree of fiber orientation or alignment is then led forwardly over an idler, helper guide roll 46 (see FIGURE 1) mounted for rotation in brackets s2 and s4 pivotally mounted on a pivot pin '76) mounted in extensions of the card sides 18. The drafted card web, in passing over the helper roll as, is guided thereby and is deposited on the movable surface of an endless tape or belt conveyor 50 which is looped around a pair of rotatable lower and upper conveyor rolls 552;, 54 in a plurality of convolutions or laps (see FIG- URE 5).

The conveyor rolls 52 and 5 s have a series of crowned surfaces, as illustrated in FlGURE 5, with one crown for each convolution or lap. Such crowning accurately positions each lap of the tape conveyor and tends to prevent undesirable lateral movement. Other mechanical Xpedients can be used to prevent such lateral tape slippage. Such expedients would include individually-stepped sections, individually-flanged sections, etc.

As illustrated, there are twenty laps of two inches each for the forty-iivc-inch width conveyor roll and such will be used to further describe but not to limit the inventive concept. Fewer laps, down to ten or less, for example, or a greater number of laps, up to eighty or more, for example, are also of use in other applications of the present concept. The widths of the tape conveyor would, of course, be correspondingly changed to four inches and one-half inch, respectively, in such cases.

The upper and lower conveyor rolls 52 and 54 are mounted for rotation in bearings in brackets 62 and 6d pivotally mounted on a pivot pin 76. Such angular pivoting permits the adjustable locating of the helper roll 45 and the top convey-or roll 54- with respect to the dofhug and drafting mechanism 2d. An extension locking arm 66 is provided at the lower end of the brackets 62 and 6d and cooperates with a locldng device as to secure the brackets 62 and 64- in properly adjusted position.

The convolutions of the tape conveyor 5%) are so trained round the conveyor roll-s 52 and 54 that the outer reaches thereof (upon which the drafted fibrous web is deposited) move downwardly substantially at right angles to the parallel axes of the conveyor rolls 5?. and 54. The inner reaches, however, are so guided that they angul-arly shift laterally and move upwardly to arrive at the upper conveyor roll 54 laterally shifted by the width of the tape itself. As a result, each time the tape conveyor completes one convolution or loop forwardly, it moves one tape width laterally until finally it reaches the lefthand end of the lower conveyor roll 52 (as in FIG- URE 2) whereupon it is passed upwardly around a rotatable return roll as, then back to the right between the outer and inner reaches of the tape conveyor 51' around a second rotatable return roll 58, and then down over the lower conveyor roll 52 to again resume its somewhat irregularly flattened, helical advancement around the conveyor rolls 52 and 5'4.

The rotatable return rolls 55 and 58 are adjustable and are so pivotally mounted on brackets 62 and 64 that they are capable of adjusting themselves at any desired angular configuration to conform to the movement of the tape conveyor. Once they adjust themselves to the correct angular position, they may be set and locked in position.

A rotatable tracking roll 6% mounted in brackets on tending from brackets 62 and 6 is angularly positioned Within the outer and inner reaches of the tape conveyor 50 and bears against and guides the inner reach in such a way as to facilitate the lateral shift of the tape conveyor 50 during its inner, upward movement. The tracking roll 60 is adjustable angularly and may be so positioned as to assist in the extent of the lateral shift taken by the tape conveyor 50.

A pair of circular, rotatable separating shears 74, 76 are positioned (see FIGURES) at the lefthand end of the plurality of convolutions of the tape conveyor 59. These circular separating shears are positioned between the last convolution and the next-to-the-last convolution of the tape conveyor and are adapted to separate a silver ribbon from the fibrous web equal to the width of one convolution of the tape conveyor. The separating shears 74, 76 are illustrated as the rotatable circular type and they are adapted to be driven through suitable mechanical means such as asprocket chain and gearing driven by motor 39.

At the outset, the first ribbon sliver which is separated from the main body of the fibrous web is only one layer thick and is not suitable for further processing, such as into yarn. As the operation continues, however, the number of layers increases until finally after the 20th convolution, the'number of layers or laminations is constant. This is illustrated graphically in FIGURE 3 wherein the individual fibrous webs are spread out and separated to show their len ths and crosswise relationship. The separating line taken by the separating shears 74 and 76 is shown and it is to be appreciated that this action separates the desired sliver ribbon.

, The excellent crosswise and lengthwise blending of fibers accomplished by the advancing tape conveyor whereby the high degree of weight regularity is realized is explained best by reference to the drawings. In FIG- URE 6, the line A-B represents the leading edge of a drafted card web at the moment it first contacts the adthe first section ABCD has the width of one individual tape and the length of one circumference of the tape conveyor. Initially, it is at the far righthand end of the tape conveyor. However, after it has made one complete convolution and has been shifted laterally by the tracking roll, it returns to the initial contacting line, one increment to the left and falls under the shaded area in the second section CDEF. Upon another convolution, the shaded area in the first section ABCD .and the shaded area in the second section CDEF are also shifted laterally by the tracking roll and return to the initial contacting line to fall under the shaded area in the third section EFGH. This, of course, continues until all twenty shaded areas are in a single pile and it is at that time that the rotatable separating shears separate the last section from the main body of the fibrous web. This separating is shown schematically in FIGURE 3.

Consideration of FIGURE 5 will reveal that this last separatedsection contains portions which extend cross- Wise from one side of the web to the other and lengthbling and blending is all the more exceptional when it is realized that the first portion of a separated section is being assembled before the last portion has even entered the main cylinder of the card.

The sliver ribbon separated from the drafted, wrapped fibrous webs is then led forwardly between a pair of calender rolls 78, 8t) and is then further processed such as by being passed, for example, through a 3- oll drafting device 32 and then through the condensing trumpet 84 and calender rolls 86 and deposited by standard mechanisms in a coiler can 88.

In FIGURE 7, there is illustrated a modification of the continuously advancing, laterally shiftable, endless conveyor. In this figure, bottom and top conveyor rolls 51 and 53 are disclosed along with skewed tracking roll 29, return roll 59 and helper roll 45. A third conveyor roll 54- is included and serves to increase the circumference of one convolution of the conveyor tape and also permits easy access to the space between the inner and outer reaches of the continuously movable, laterally shiftable, endless conveyor. Such provides for lengthwise blending over a longer distance and mechanical facility of operation.

The invention will be further illustrated in greater detail by the following specific examples. It should be understood, however, that although these examples may describe in particular detail some of the more specific features of the invention, they are given primarily for purposes of illustration and the invention in its broader aspects is not to be construed as limited thereto.

Example I The starting fibrous material, as delivered by the dofiing cylinder to the doifing and drafting belt, is a -inch-wide card web of viscose rayon staple fibers, weighing about grains per square yard and containing fibers having a substantially uniform length of about 1 inch and a denier of about 1 /2. The peripheral surface linear velocity of the doffing cylinder is 10 yards per minute.

'The fibrous web is transferred to a flexible movable doffing and drafting belt such as illustrated in FIGURE 1.

web prepared from similar materials on similar equip-- ment but removed from the dofiing cylinder by a conventional doifing comb. The degree of fiber orientation of the fibrous web on the dofiing cylinder is about 70%; the degree of fiber orientation of the drafted web is about The drafted fibrous web is then forwarded over an idler, helper roll and is deposited upon an endless tape conveyor which is looped around a pair of rotatable upper and lower conveyor rolls. These conveyor rolls are approximately 45 inches in length and the endless tape conveyor is 2 inches wide. The length of the endless tape conveyor is such that it can be looped around the conveyor rolls a total of 20 times and have enough left for the return length, etc.

The drafted fibrous-web is then advanced on the endless tape conveyor around the conveyor rolls and is simultaneously laterally shifted a distance of 2 inches (the width of the tape conveyor) for each convolution around the conveyor rolls.

A pair of circular rotatable separating shears positioned on the left end of the advancing web separates the last 2 inches of thelaminated Webs. The initial product separated by the separating shears does not have sufficient The starting fibrous material, as delivered by the dolling cylinder to the doifing and drafting belt, is a 45-inchwide card web of 50% by weight viscose rayon staple fibers having a substantially uniform length of about 1 inch and a denier of about 1%. and 50% by weight of cotton fibers. The web weight is about 95 grains per square yard. The peripheral surface linear velocity of the doifing cylinder is yards per minute.

The fibrous web is transferred to a flexible movable doffing and drafting belt such as illustrated in FIGURE 1. The doffing and drafting belt has a peripheral surface linear velocity of yards per minute. This is equivalent to a 1.5 to 1 ratio (belt to doffing cylinder).

Examination of the fibrous web after it has been removed from the flexible belt, reveals that the drafted web has a weight of about 64 grains per square yard. The degree of fiber orientation of the fibrous web on the dofiing cylinder is about 65%; the degree of fiber orientation of the drafted web is about 80%.

The remainder of the procedure is substantially as set forth in Example I. The sliver as delivered to the coiler can be found to possess a high degree of weight regularity and fiber alignment and orientation along the main axis. It is well suited for further processing and spinning into yarn.

Example 111 The starting fibrous material, as delivered by the dofiing cylinder to the dofiing and drafting belt, is a 45-inch-wide card web of viscose rayon staple fibers, weighing about 140 grains per square yard and containing fibers having a substantially uniform length of about 1 inch and a denier of about 1 /2. The peripheral surface linear velocity of the dotting cylinder is 10 yards per minute.

The fibrous web is transferred to a flexible movable dofilng and drafting belt such as illustrated in FIGURE 1. The dofiing and drafting belt has a peripheral surface linear velocity of yards per minute. This is equivalent to a 2 to 1 ratio (belt to dotting cylinder). The belt then passes under a nip roll and over a guide roll.

Examination of the fibrous web, after it has been removed from the flexible belt, reveals that the drafted web has a weight of about 70 grains per square yard and a much higher degree of fiber alignment and orientation along the main axis than that present in a similar fibrous web prepared from similar materials on similar equi ment but removed from the dofiing cylinder by a conventional doffing comb. The degree of fiber orientation of the fibrous web on the dofiing cylinder is about 70; the degree of fiber orientation of the drafted web is about 85%.

The drafted fibrous web is then forwarded over an idler, helper roll and is deposited upon an endless tape conveyor which is looped around a pair of rotatable upper and lower conveyor rolls. These conveyor rolls are approximately inches in length and the endless tape conveyor is 2 inches wide. The length of the endless tape conveyor is such that it can be looped around the conveyor rolls a total of 20 times and have enough left for the return length, etc.

The drafted fibrou web is then advanced on the end less tape conveyor around the conveyor rolls and is simultaneously laterally shifted a distance of 2 inches (the id width of the tape conveyor) for each convolution around the conveyor rolls.

A pair of rotatable separating shears positioned on the left end of the advancing web separates the last 2 inches of the laminated webs. The initial product separated by the separating shears does not have sufiicient thickness and is discarded. After 20 convolutions of the tape conveyor, the product separated by the shears possesses sufficient thickness and is forwarded as a sliver ribbon between a pair of calender rolls to a 3-roll drafting fra 1e wherein it is drafted at a ratio of 3:1. The drafted sliver ribbon then passes through a condensing trumpet and calender rolls and is deposited in a coiler can. The sliver possesses excellent weight uniformity and fiber orientation along the main and is Well suited for spinning into yarn.

Although several specific examples of the inventive concept have been described, the same should not be construed as limited thereby nor to the specific features mentioned therein but to include various other features of equivalent construction and/ or operation, as set forth in the claims appended hereto. it is understood that any suitable changes, modifications and variations may be made without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention.

What is claimed is:

1. Apparatus for producing a drafted sliver ribbon having a high degree of weight regularity and fiber orientation along its main axis which comprises: means for forming a fibrous Web on a rotatable surface; means for removing said fibrous web from said rotatable surface; means for continuously maintaining a fibrous web integral and drafting the full width or" said web in the direction of its length to increase the degree of fiber orientation along the main axis thereof; a continuously movable, laterally shiftable, endless conveyor for receiving the drafted fibrous web from said drafting means and for wrapping it in a plurality of convoiutions whereby the fibers of one convolution are brought into close adjacency to other fibers of other convolutions, said other fibers originally having spaced crosswise and lengthwise positions in said drafted fibrous web with respect to the first-mentioned fibers; and means for separating a predetermined Width from the plurality of drafted, Wrapped fibrous convolutions to form a drafted sliver ribbon comprising fibers in close adjacency but derived from different convolutions and from spaced crosswise and lengthwise positions in said drafted fibrous web whereby said drafted sliver ribbon possesses a high degree of weight regularity and fiber orientation alon the main axis thereof.

2. Apparatus for producing a drafted sliver ribbon having a high degree of weight regularity and fiber orientation along its main axis which comprises: means for forming a fibrous web on a rotatable surface; means for removing said fibrous web from said rotatable surface while continuously maintaining the fibrous web integral and substantially simultaneously drafting the full width of said web in the direction of its length to increase the degree of fiber orientation along the main axis thereof; a continuously movable, laterally shiftable, endless conveyor for receiving the drafted fibrous web from said drafting means and for wrapping it in a plurality of convolutions whereby the fibers of one convolution are brought into close adjacency to other fibers of other convolutions, said other fibers originally having spaced crosswise and lengthwise positions in said drafted fibrous web with respect to the first-mentioned fibers; and means for separating a predetermined width from the plurality of drafted, Wrapped fibrous convolutions to form a drafted sliver ribbon comprising fibers in close adjacency but derived from different convolutions and from spaced crosswise and lengthwise positions in said drafted fibrous web whereby said drafted sliver ribbon possesses a high degree of weight regularity and fiber orientation along the main axis thereof.

3. Apparatus for producing a drafted sliver ribbon having a high degree of weight regularity and fiber orientation along its main axis which comprises: means for forming a fibrous web on a rotatable surface; a dofiing and drafting belt for removing said fibrous web from said rotatable surface while continuously maintaining the fibrous web integral and substantially simultaneously drafting the full width of said web in the direction of its length to increase the degree of fiber orientation along the main axis thereof; a continuously movable, laterally shiftable, endless conveyor for receiving the drafted fibrous'web from said drafting means and for wrapping it in a plurality of convolutions whereby the fibers of one convolution are brought into close adjacency to other fibers of other convolutions, said other fibers originally having spaced crosswise and lengthwise positions in said drafted fibrous web with respect to the first-mentioned fibers; and means for separating a predetermined width from the plurality of drafted, wrapped fibrous convolutions to form a drafted sliverribbon comprising fibers in close adjacency but derived from different convolutions and from spaced crosswise and lengthwise positions in said drafted fibrous web whereby said drafted sliver ribbon possesses a high degree of weight regularity and fiber orientation along the main axis thereof.

4. Apparatus for producing a drafted sliver ribbon having a high degree of weight regularity and fiber orientation along its main axis which comprises: means for continuously maintaining a fibrous web integral and drafting the full width of said web in the direction of its length to increase the degree of fiber orientation along the main axis thereof; a continuously movable, laterally shiftable, endless conveyor for receiving the drafted fibrous web from the drafting means and for wrapping it in a plurality of convolutions whereby the fibers of one convolution are brought into close adjacency to other fibers of other convolutions, said other fibers originally having spaced cross-wise and lengthwise positions in said drafted fibrous web with respect to the first-mentioned fibers; and means for separating a predetermined width from the plurality of drafted, wrapped fibrou convolutions to form a drafted sliver ribbon comprising fibers in close adjacency but derived from different convolutions and from spaced crosswise and lengthwise positions in said drafted fibrous web whereby said drafted sliver ribbon possesses a high degree of weight regularity and fiber orientation along the main axis thereof.

5. Apparatus for producing a drafted sliver ribbon having a high degree of weight regularity and fiber orientation along its main axis which comprises: means for continuously maintaining a fibrous Web integral and drafting the full width of said Web in the direction of its length to increase'the degree of fiber orientation along the main axis thereof; means for receiving the drafted fibrou web from the drafting means and for wrapping it in a plurality of continuously movable, laterally shiftable, convolutions whereby the fibers of one convolution are brought into close adjacency to other fibers of other convolutions, said other fibers originally having spaced crosswise and lengthwise positions in said drafted fibrous web with respect to the first-mentioned fibers; and means for separating a predetermined width from the plurality of drafted, wrapped fibrous convolutions to form a drafted sliver ribbon comprising fibers in close adjacency but derived from different convolutions and from spaced crosswise and lengthwise positions in said drafted fibrous web whereby said drafted sliver ribbon possesses a high degree of Weight regularity and fiber orientation along the main axis thereof.

6. A method of producing a drafted sliver ribbon having a high degree of weight regularity and fibed orientation along its main axis which comprises: forming a fibrous web on a rotatable surface; removing said fibrous web from said rotatable surface; maintaining said web integral and drafting the full width of said web in the direction of its length to increase the degree of fiber orientation along the main axis thereof; continuously moving said drafted web in a laterally'shifting, endless path to form a plurality of successive laterally shifted convolutions wherein the fibers of one convolution are brought into close adjacency to other fibers of other convolutions, said other fibers originally having spaced crosswise and lengthwise positions in said drafted fibrous web with respect to the first mentioned fibers and separating a predetermined width from the plurality of successively shifted fibrous convolutions to form a drafted sliver ribbon comprising fibers in close adjacency but derived from different convolutions and from spaced crosswise and lengthwise positions in said drafted fibrous web whereby said drafted sliver ribbon possesses a high degree of weight regularity and fiber orientation along the main axis thereof. 7. A method of producing a drafted sliver ribbon having ahigh degree of weight regularity and fiber orientation along its main axis which comprises: forming a fibrous web on a rotatable surface; removing said fibrous web from said rotatable surface while maintaining said Web integral and simultaneously drafting the full width of said web in the direction of its length to increase the degree of fiberorientation along the main axis thereof; continuously moving said drafted web in a laterally shifting, endless path to form a plurality of successive laterally shifted convolutions wherein the fibers of one convolution are brought into close adjacency to other fibers of other convolutions, said other fibers originally having spaced crosswise and lengthwise positions in said drafted fibrous web with respect to the first mentioned fibers; and separating a predetermined width from the plurality of successively shifted fibrous convolutions to form a drafted sliver ribbon comprising fibers in close adjacency but derived from different convolutions and from spaced crosswise and lengthwise positions in said drafted fibrous web whereby said drafted sliver ribbon possesses a high degree of weight regularity and fiber orientation along the main axis thereof. a

8. A method of producing a drafted sliver ribbon having a high degree of weight regularity and fiber orientation along its main axis which comprises: maintaining a fibrous web integral and drafting the full width of said web in the direction of its length to increase the degree of fiber orientation along the main axis thereof; continuously movingsaid drafted Web in a laterally shifting, endless path to form a plurality of successive laterally shifted convolutions wherein the fibers of one convolution are brought into close adjacency to other fibers of other convolutions, said other fibers originally having spaced crosswise and lengthwise positions in said drafted fibrous web with respect to the first mentioned fibers; and separating a predetermined width from the plurality of successively shifted fibrous convolutions to form a drafted sliver ribbon comprising fibers in close adjacency but derived from different convolutions and from spaced crosswise and lengthwise positions in said drafted fibrous web whereby said drafted sliver ribbon possesses a high degree of weight regularity and fiber orientation along the main axis thereof.

9. A method of producing a drafted sliver ribbon having a high degree of weight regularity and fiber orientation along its main axis which comprises: forming a fibrous web on a rotatable surface; removing said fibrous web from said rotatable surface; maintaining said web integral and drafting the full width of said web in the direction of its length to increase the degree of fiber orientation along the main axis thereof; continuously moving said drafted web in an endless path; laterally shifting said Web over only a portion of said path to form a plurality of successive laterally shifted convolutions wherein the fibers of one convolution are brought into close adjacency to other fibers of other convolutions, said other fibers originally having spaced crosswise and lengthwise positions in said drafted fibrous web with respect to the first mentioned fibers; and separating a predetermined width from the plurality of successively shifted fibrous convolutions to form a drafted sliver ribbon comprising fibers in close adjacency but derived from different convolutions and from spaced crosswise and lengthwise positions in said drafted fibrous web whereby said drafted sliver ribbon possesses a high degree of weight regularity and fiber orientation along the main axis thereof.

It). A method of producing a drafted sliver ribbon having a high degree of weight regularity and fiber orientation along its main axis which comprises: forming a fibrous web on a rotatable surface; removing said fibrous web from said rotatable surface while maintaining said web integral and simultaneously drafting the full width of said web in the direction of its length to increase the degree of fiber orientation along the main axis thereof; continuously moving said drafted web in an endless path; laterally shifting said web over only a portion of said path to form a plurality of successive laterally shifted convolutions wherein the fibers of one convolution are brought into close adjacency to other fibers of other convolutions, said other fibers originally having spaced crosswise and lengthwise positions in said drafted fibrous web with respect to the first mentioned fibers and separating a predetermined width from the plurality of successively shifted fibrous convolutions to form a drafted sliver ribbon comprising fibers in close adjacency but derived from different convolutions and from spaced crosswise and lengthwise positions in said drafted fibrous web whereby said drafted sliver ribbon possesses a high degree of weight regularity and fiber orientation along the main axis thereof.

11. A method of producing a drafted sliver ribbon having a high degree of weight regularity and fiber orientation along its main axis which comprises: main-taining a fibrous web integral and drafting the full width of said web in the direction of its length to increase the degree of fiber orientation along the main axis thereof; continuously moving said drafted web in an endless path; laterally shifting said web over only a portion of said path to form a plurality of successive laterally shifted convolutions wherein the fibers of one convolution are brought into close adjacency to other fibers of other convolutions, said other fibers originally having spaced crosswise and lengthwise positions in said drafted fibrous web with respect to the first mentioned fibers; and separating a predetermined width from the plurality of successively shifted fibrous convolutions to form a drafted sliver ribbon comprising fibers in close adjacency but derived from different convolutions and from spaced crosswise and lengthwise positions in said drafted fibrous web whereby said drafted sliver ribbon possesses a high degree of weight regularity and fiber orientation along the main axis thereof.

12. A method of producing a drafted sliver ribbon having a high degree of weight regularity and fiber orientation along its main axis which comprises: forming a fibrous web on a rotatable surface; removing said fibrous web from said rotatable surface; maintaining said web integral and drafting the full width of said web in the direction of its length to increase the degree of fiber orientation along the main axis thereof; continuously moving said drafted web in an endless, substantially elliptical path; laterally shifting said web over only a portion of said path to form a plurality of successive laterally shifted convolutions wherein the fibers of one convolution are brought into close adjacency to other fibers of other convolutions, said other fibers originally having spaced crosswise and lengthwise positions in said drafted fibrous web with respect to the first mentioned fibers; and separating i i a predetermined width from the plurality of successively shifted fibrous convolutions to form a drafted sliver rib hon comprising fibers in close adjacency but derived from different convolutions and from spaced crosswise and lengthwise positions in said drafted fibrous web whereby said drafted sliver ribbon possesses a high degree of Weight regularity and fiber orientation along the main axis thereof.

13. A method of producing a drafted sliver ribbon having a high degree of weight regularity and fiber orientation along its main axis which comprises: forming a fibrous web on a rotatable surface; removing said fibrous web from said rotatable surface while maintaining said web integral and simultaneously drafting the full witdh of said web in the direction of its length to increase the degree of fiber orientation along the main axis thereof; continuously moving said drafted web in an endless substantially elliptical path; laterally shifting said web over only a portion of said path to form a plurality of successive laterally shifted convolutions wherein the fibers of one convolution are brought into close adjacency to other fibers of other convolutions, said other fibers originally having spaced crosswise and lengthwise positions in said drafted fibrous web with respect to the first mentioned fibers; and separating a predetermined width from the plurality of successively shifted fibrous convolutions to form a drafted sliver ribbon comprising fibers in close adjacency but derived from different convolutions and from spaced crosswise and lengthwise positions in said drafted fibrous web whereby said drafted sliver ribbon possesses a high degree of weight regularity and fiber orientation along the main axis thereof.

14. A method of producing a drafted sliver ribbon having a high degree of weight regularity and fiber orientation along its main axis which comprises: maintaining a fibrous web integral and drafting the full width of said web in the direction of its length to increase the degree of fiber orientation along the main axis thereof; continuously moving said drafted web in an endless substantially elliptical path; laterally shifting said web over only a portion of said path to form a plurality of successive laterally shifted convolutions wherein the fibers of one convolution are brought into close adjacency to other fibers of other convolutions, said other fibers originally having spaced crosswise and lengthwise positions in said drafted fibrous web whereby said drafted sliver ribbon fibers; and separating a predetermined width from the plurality of successively shifted fibrous convolutions to form a drafted sliver ribbon comprising fibers in close adjacency but derived from different convolutions and from spaced crosswise and lengthwise positions in said drafted fibrous web whereby said drafted sliver ribbon possesses a high degree of weight regularity and fiber orientation along the main axis thereof.

References Qited by the Examiner UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,422,581 7/22 Laurency et al 19-99 2,974,393 3/61 Hollowell 28--72.2 X 3,081,658 3/63 Witschi 1915O 3,110,063 11/63 Amrnerall l999 FOREIGN PATENTS 1,127,219 8/56 France. 1,167,842 8/58 France.

DONALD W. PARKER, Primary Examiner.

RUSSELL C. MADER, Examiner.

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE CERTIFICATE OF CORRECTION Patent No. 3,195,187 July 20, 1965 Frank Kalwaites It is hereby certified that error appears in the above numbered petent requiring correction and that the said Letters Patent should read as corrected below.

Column 1, line 11, for "drafed" read drafted column 2, line 67, and column 7, line 14, for "silver", each occurrence, read sliver column 9, line 34, for "can be" read can is line 60, for "70" read 70% column 11, line 71, for "fibed" read fiber column 14, lines 45 and 46, for "whereby said drafted sliver ribbon fibers" read with respect to the first mentioned fibers Signed and sealed this 21st day of December 1965.

(SEAL) Attest:

ERNEST W. SWIDER EDWARD J. BRENNER Attesting Officer Commissioner of Patents 

5. APPARATUS FOR PRODUCING A DRAFTED SILVER RIBBON HAVING A HIGH DEGREE OF WEIGHT REGULARITY AND FIBER ORIENTATION ALONG ITS MAIN AXIS WHICH COMPRISES: MEANS FOR CONTINUOUSLY MAINTAINING A FIBROUS WEB INTEGRAL AND DRAFTING THE FULL WIDTH OF SAID WEB IN THE DIRECTION OF ITS LENGTH TO INCREASE THE DEGREE OF FIBER ORIENTATION ALONG THE MAIN AXIS THEREOF; MEANS FOR RECEIVING THE DRAFTED FIBROUS WEB FROM THE DRAFTING MEANS AND FOR WRAPPING IT IN A PLURALITY OF CONTINUOUSLY MOVABLE, LATERALLY SHIFTABLE, CONVOLUTIONS WHEREBY THE FIBERS OF ONE CONVOLUTION ARE BROUGHT INTO CLOSE ADJACENCY TO OTHER FIBERS OF OTHER CONVOLUTIONS, SAID OTHER FIBERS ORIGINALLY HAVING SPACED CROSSWISE AND LENGTHWISE POSITIONS IN SAID DRAFTED FIBROUS WEB WITH RESPECT TO THE FIRST-MENTIONED FIBERS; AND MEANS FOR SEPARATING A PREDETERMINED WIDTH FROM THE PLURALITY OF DRAFTED, WRAPPED FIBROUS CONVOLUTIONS TO FORM A DRAFTED SILVER RIBBON COMPRISING FIBERS IN CLOSE ADJACENCY BUT DERIVED FROM DIFFERENT CONVOLUTIONS AND FROM SPACED CROSSWISE AND LENGTHWISE POSITIONS IN SAID DRAFTED FIBROUS WEB WHEREBY SAID DRAFTED SILVER RIBBON POSSESSES A HIGH DEGREE OF WEIGHT REGULARITY AND FIBER ORIENTATION ALONG THE MAIN AXIS THEREOF. 